


Just Buck - Or, 5 Times Ana Realised Her Boyfriend Had A Boyfriend

by ashavahishta



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Allergies, Christopher Diaz Has Two Dads, Christopher Diaz is a National Treasure, Domestic Fluff, Emotional Infidelity, F/M, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Non-Sexual Intimacy, POV Outsider, Sharing Clothes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-13 10:48:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29400780
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ashavahishta/pseuds/ashavahishta
Summary: Ana thinks she's found a great guy in Eddie Diaz.She only wishes he wasn't quite so close with his best friend.
Relationships: Eddie Diaz/Ana Flores (9-1-1 TV), Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Comments: 159
Kudos: 1310





	Just Buck - Or, 5 Times Ana Realised Her Boyfriend Had A Boyfriend

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be dumb and then it got long.  
> For those worried, Eddie does NOT cheat on Ana with Buck, the emotional infidelity tag is a just in case, up for interpretation. Any Eddie/Ana content is pretty vague and decidedly non-sexual.  
> Ana has some slightly ableist thought processes concerning Christopher, similar to her approach on the show.

**-1**

Ana wasn’t expecting to leave the mid-term Parents’ Barbecue with a date, but she can’t say she’s complaining.

Eddie Diaz is  _ hot _ . Dreamy brown eyes, broad shoulders, gorgeous smile. Not to mention he’s a for-real American hero, a firefighter and a dedicated father.

He was so sweet asking for her number, too. Sidling up to her with a beer in hand, pretending to be interested in the potato salad. Asking her what she had coming up in Christopher’s classes. 

He wasn’t nervous. That’s what stuck with her, later. He was confident, casual - but not arrogant. Like he’d decided today was the day he asked her out and he wasn’t going home unless he did it.

She’d been waiting, you see. Ever since they met at Parent Teacher night and his gaze lingered a little too long on her. Ever since their conversations at pickup time had turned light and flirtatious, Eddie showing off that amazing smile. 

So she says yes.

**1.**

She hears about Buck long before she meets him.

First Christopher talks about “Dad’s friend Buck”, then it’s “Buck” and, after a few months, “My Buck”. The guy is a regular feature in Christopher’s tales about his weekends and evenings. Christopher loves to talk about hanging out with “his Buck” and how they play video games together, or go to the park with Eddie, and how his Buck and his Dad are superhero firefighters. 

Then once she and Eddie start dating, it’s he, too, dropping Buck’s name in conversation on a regular basis. It’s not just Buck, though, it’s Chim and Hen and Bobby. Eddie’s crew. Buck seems to feature more often because he and Eddie get paired up together often. Ana can’t count the number of Eddie’s work stories which start with the words, “So Buck and I -”. She supposes that’s normal. Everyone has a favourite work friend.

She figures that if things go well with Eddie, she’ll meet his friends eventually.

She’s not expecting one of them to answer his door.

It’s a Saturday morning, and Ana had been having breakfast with a friend near Eddie’s house. She’s been there once or twice, and figures why not drop by with coffee for him? She knows he has the day off today. 

But it’s not Eddie who answers when she knocks.

The guy is huge, that’s the first thing she notices. Tall and built like a tank, with broad shoulders, thick arms and long, muscled legs. He’s blonde and blue-eyed, pretty in a boyish way which contrasts with the strength of his body. Attractive, sure, but not her type - she prefers Eddie’s dark hair and quick smile to this guy’s corn-fed, All American vibe.

“Hey,” the guy says. He breaks into a friendly smile. “Can I help you?”

“Um, yeah. Is Eddie home?”

“Sure,” he pauses for a moment, seemingly unsure about letting her inside. “Um -”

“I’m Ana,” she reaches out a hand for him to shake. 

“Oh, of course!” he shakes her hand enthusiastically and steps back, ushering her inside. “I’m Buck.”

“Ah, the famous Buck,” she nods, taking him in again. No wonder Christopher thinks this guy is a superhero - he looks like he should be putting on a cape and rushing off to stop a moving train. “Christopher talks about you a lot.”

“He does?” A pleased flush paints Buck’s pale skin. 

“Buck?” Christopher’s voice rings out. “Are we having pancakes or not?”

“Coming, buddy,” Buck calls back. “Uh, Eddie’s in the shower, I was just about to start breakfast. I’ll get him for you.” 

He disappears down the hallway, leaving Ana standing awkwardly in the entry, still clutching the coffees. 

It takes a few minutes for Eddie to emerge. His hair is damp and he’s dressed casually in dark jeans and a cream Henley which contrasts nicely with his tanned skin.

“Hey,” and there’s that smile she likes so much. “This is a surprise!”

“Ah, well...I was in the neighbourhood.” Ana leans in and pecks him on the lips. He smells amazing. “Coffee?”

“Sure, thank you.” Brown eyes linger on her, taking in her outfit. “You look nice.”

“Thanks,” she smiles. “What are you guys up to today? You have a guest already, I see.”

“A guest?” Eddie’s brow furrows. 

“Your friend who answered the door?”

“Oh, that’s just Buck,” Eddie waves a dismissive hand. “He doesn’t count.”

_ He’s answering your door and making breakfast for your kid, _ Ana thinks.  _ Pretty sure he counts a lot. _




  
  


They’ve been on a date. It was lovely - lowkey, as Eddie tends to be, but nice. She’s been learning more about Eddie’s background, his family and his time in the military, although she’s sure there’s a lot that he’s purposefully editing out. That’s fine - they’ve only been going out a few weeks, she doesn’t need all his deep dark secrets. Eddie’s favourite topic is his son, unsurprisingly. Ana can’t say she objects. Christopher is such a sweet kid, already one of her favourites before she met Eddie.

She’s gotta be honest here, as they approach Eddie’s doorstep. She’s...kind of hoping for an invite inside. This is their fourth date, and so far they haven’t progressed past a few kisses. She knows Eddie wants to take this slow, since she’s his first relationship after his wife dying, but surely he’s ready for something more?

They do kiss at the door, soft and sweet and slow. When they break apart, Eddie asks, “Do you want to come inside for a coffee?”

She nods.

He lets her in, lets her put her bag and jacket down. The house is dimly lit, and as Eddie leads her toward the kitchen she realises she can hear the television. 

Oh. So, Christopher is home. Does that mean that “coffee” just means...coffee?

Eddie has paused at the archway which leads to his living room, presumably to speak to Ms Price, Christopher’s carer. Or at least, that’s who Ana assumes is here.

She joins him at the door and gasps slightly in surprise. It’s not Ms Price. 

“It’s just Buck,” Eddie murmurs in a low voice, obviously trying not to disturb the pair on the couch.

Buck is sprawled on his back, head propped uncomfortably on the arm of the couch. Christopher is on top of him, face turned into the man’s neck, hand curled slightly in his sweater. They’re both dead asleep.

Eddie’s face softens into the sweet, loving expression he gets whenever he talks about Chris. He walks into the room, takes the remote out of Buck’s slack hand and turns off the TV. Then he sits on the coffee table and just looks at them for a long moment.

“Hey,” Eddie’s fingers sift through Christopher’s hair. The boy mumbles and turns his face deeper into Buck’s neck, hand opening and closing sleepily on his chest. Ana watches as Buck blinks blearily and finds Eddie watching him.

“Hey,” his hand curls a little tighter around Christopher, holding him securely to his body. He makes no move to get up. “When did you get in?”

“Just now.” 

“I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”

Eddie smiles understandingly. “It’s fine, I know how many stairs you climbed in that office building today, you must be wiped.”

Buck’s murmur of agreement is interrupted by a yawn. 

“Daddy,” Christopher says softly. “We were watching the Simpsons.”

“I know you were, buddy, but I’m gonna put you to bed now so Buck can go home and sleep in his own bed, okay?”

“Uh huh,” Chris heaves himself up to nuzzle into Buck’s neck. “Goodnight Buck.”

“Goodnight Chris,” Buck squeezes him in a quick hug before Eddie fits his hands under Christopher’s armpits and lifts him up. 

Chris’ eyes are closed, near sleeping again against Eddie’s shoulder as he passes Ana in the hallway. “I’ll be right back,” he promises.

“Hi,” Ana says to a still drowsy Buck as he sits up. 

“Oh, hey,” he smiles. “You guys have a good night?”

“Yeah. We went to that BBQ place on 5th? Eddie’s trying to show me what ‘real Texas BBQ’ is.”

“That place is the  _ best, _ ” Buck enthuses. “I bet he got the babyback ribs, right? Messy as hell but he can’t resist them.”

“Yeah, actually,” Ana says, a little caught off guard. “That’s pretty much exactly what he said.”

Buck nods, now passing a hand over his face and yawning again. He stands and slips his shoes on, gathers a jacket hanging over the back of the couch.

Eddie returns and thanks Buck for babysitting, which Buck waves off with a quiet, “Any time, you know that.”

A soft look crosses Eddie’s face - very similar to the one he gets around Christopher, actually. He reaches up and, with no hesitation, pushes his fingers into Buck’s hair, which is messy from sleep, curling at the ends. “Look at you,” he says fondly. “Needs a cut.”

Buck just bats him away, smiling. 

Ana feels, suddenly, like she’s intruding on something she doesn’t really understand. She decides not to follow them to the door, but she does see the two men share a quick hug before Buck leaves.

3.

Ana’s not, generally, an anxious person. When she was a kid she was always the one nominated to talk to the adults, to beg for ice cream or to stay another hour at the pool - she was the fearless one. 

However, meeting Eddie’s pseudo family - his firehouse crew - is a good enough cause for her to be a little nervous.

They’ve all been very kind, of course. It’s a loud, mismatched group of kids and adults, not just Eddie’s coworkers but their partners and children too. The police sergeant - Athena? Is the host who gracefully accepted Ana’s offering of mini quiches and welcomed her as though they’ve known each other for years. Then there’s the kind Hen and her wife Karen, Chim and a pretty brunette woman who teases Buck enough times for Ana to deduce they’re siblings. And Buck is there, of course, sweeping Christopher into a hug the moment they enter, handing Eddie a beer like it’s second nature.

She enjoys herself. Everyone has been so friendly and interested to meet her. It’s obviously a tight knit group, especially those from the station who exchange stories and jokes at breakneck speed. She’s glad that Eddie has so many people who care about him, and hopes that one day she’ll be as comfortable in this group as the rest of them.

It’s a warm day, with most of the guests milling about on Athena’s deck, picking at the spread of finger food she has set out. Ana and Eddie have settled into one of the lounges with Bobby, Eddie’s captain. He’s a tall brunet man with a warm, fatherly nature about him. Ana can see the way his eyes flit around the party, catching not only on the children but his crew as well. Protective. She has a feeling if there’s anyone she needs to make a good impression on, it’s this man.

As intimidating as that is, Bobby is so  _ nice.  _ He asks about Ana’s job, gives her cooking advice and teases Eddie about his lack of skill in the kitchen. “Let’s just say Christopher is lucky Buck can cook,” he says, causing Eddie to roll his eyes.

“I can cook  _ some _ things,” Eddie protests from where he’s pressed against Ana’s side, hand casual on her knee. “If I put the effort in to buy all the stuff and read the recipe properly, it’s just - BUCK!”

The shout is so sudden that Ana startles and spills half her wine. On the other end of the deck Buck freezes and looks up from his conversation, baffled.

“The poppyseed ones have salmon in them, dumbass.” Eddie says loudly. His tone is exasperated, but Ana can see real concern in his eyes.

Buck looks at the poppyseed bagel in his hand, makes an  _ “Oh shit”  _ face and quickly returns it to its platter. He offers Eddie a sheepish shrug and a smile that looks like an apology.

“Too busy talking to realise he’s about to poison himself,” Eddie mutters, sitting back. He takes a swig of beer, still watching Buck like a hawk.

A moment of silence follows this interruption. There’s wine drying on Ana’s dress.

“I completely forgot he was allergic to salmon,” Bobby says in a thoughtful tone. “I’m sure he told me sometime but I never cook it, I can’t stand the smell of fish in the station.”

“Not really in the mood to stab him in the thigh with a giant needle today,” Eddie quips with a tight smile.

He finally seems to remember Ana’s presence then. He notices the wine, apologises for startling her and even ushers her into the bathroom to help clean up.

But even after they leave, Ana can’t help wondering why Eddie was so focused on his best friend in the first place.

4.

Ana is having a hard time bonding with Christopher. She’s not sure what she’s doing wrong - she’s a teacher for God’s sake, she knows how to interact with kids. Christopher is great, and Eddie is great, and she and Eddie like each other, so why shouldn’t they all be able to get along?

Christopher just doesn’t seem to like her. He’s not hostile by any means, but he doesn’t speak to her much when she’s around, and she always gets the feeling he’s just waiting for her to go away so he can have his dad to himself.

They’d talked it out, she and Eddie - Eddie making it clear that Christopher was always his priority, and if he wasn’t okay with him dating after Shannon’s death, then this wouldn’t work out. Ana understood, reassured him that the last thing she wanted to do was come between him and his son. At the same time, Eddie seems determined to make an effort to show Christopher that him dating won’t be the end of the world.

It’s in this spirit, Ana thinks, that over dinner one Friday night Eddie suggests the three of them go to the zoo together this weekend.

Christopher perks up immediately, chattering about the animals he wants to see, how Buck  _ promised _ they’d have time for the polar bears this time, and Eddie winces slightly.

“Uh, buddy, Buck won’t be coming with us. Just you and me, and Ana. Sounds good, right?”

Chris stops talking, looking between them before landing on his father. “Why can’t Buck come?”

“Well…” Eddie hesitates, glancing at Ana with a helpless look. She shrugs. How do you explain to a nine year old that dates usually don’t involve an extra person? “Because Ana and I haven’t spent much time together this week, so we want to hang out without..other people around.”

It’s awkward and Eddie knows it, judging by the wary way he’s watching Christopher. 

“But  _ I’ll _ be there _ ,”  _ Chris argues. “What’s the difference if Buck comes too?”

“Buck probably has plans this weekend, mijo.” Eddie says, changing tack. “It’s a bit late notice.”

“Buck  _ always _ comes when I ask him!” Chris is getting worked up now, banging his fork down on the table with a clatter. “I never get to see him anymore because you’re always with Ms Flores!” He shoots Ana a frankly venomous look and pulls himself up, reaching for his crutches and clattering down the hall to his bedroom.

When she looks at Eddie she finds him hunched over, head in his hands. His shoulders are tense. 

Ana isn’t sure what to say. She feels terrible that this thing between them is hurting Christopher. She’s come in and disrupted their little father-son unit, the one thing she and Eddie had agreed couldn’t happen.

She reaches out and places a hand on Eddie’s back, the muscles tight under her hand. “Listen, if this is causing trouble…”

“It’s fine,” Eddie’s voice is muffled by his hands. He blows out a sigh and looks up, pained. “I don’t want to hurt him. I really, really don’t, he’s been through enough. But...I like you, Ana. And I don’t want to give up on this. I’ve read all the advice, I’ve asked every parent I know about how to handle this, and everyone just says give it time. Let him adjust. It’s only been a few weeks, I can’t expect him to be okay immediately. But I’d like to spend more time together, with both of you, so you can get to know each other a bit more. Maybe that will help him calm down about the whole thing.”

“Okay,” she smiles, a bit relieved. “You should ask Buck to come.”

Eddie blinks. “What?”

“You should. Chris adores him, and if it makes it easier for him...I mean, he’s right. Our date is already being crashed, what difference does another person make?”

“Thank you.” Eddie says sincerely, clasping her hand and squeezing lightly. “For understanding.”

“Hey, if I get a trip to the zoo out of it…” she leans in to kiss him playfully. He kisses her back, soft but brief, then stands up.

“I’ll go talk to him.”

  
  
  


As it turns out, Buck  _ is _ free, and seemingly thrilled to join them at the zoo on Sunday.

It’s a brilliantly warm day, sun shining with a light breeze brushing their skin as they navigate the busy walkways. Mostly, Ana and Eddie walk together while Buck and Chris rush from exhibit to exhibit, chattering enthusiastically. Every once in awhile, one (or both) of them will find their way back to Eddie to fill him in on some interesting new fact they picked up from the information boards. 

Buck sure is  _ bouncy _ . He’s a giant ball of energy and excitement which perfectly matches Christopher’s.

“I see why they get along so well,” she comments. She and Eddie are hanging back at the hippo pond, allowing Buck and Chris to push through to the front and eagerly search the water. “He’s basically a big kid himself.”

“Basically,” Eddie laughs. “At work we call him a golden retriever. You know, always happy, just wants to be loved? That’s Buck.”

He says it with such fondness that Ana pauses for a moment, stuck on the way Eddie watches Buck and Chris together. Surely that smile, that look is for Christopher, not Buck?

Surely.

The thought swirls around her head as they continue to wander, so much so that she barely hears what Eddie is saying to her. She already suspected Buck’s feelings for Eddie ran deeper than friendship, but Eddie? No. She’s overthinking it. They’re just close, that’s all.

She finally zones back in when Eddie suggests they stop at the zoo restaurant for lunch. The place is decked out in animal themed booths; Chris and Buck immediately make a beeline for the one shaped like a lion. 

They settle in the booth in a semicircle; Chris squashed in the middle between Ana and Eddie, with Buck on Eddie’s other side. They order drinks and after a few minutes of perusing menus, Buck excuses himself for the bathroom. The server arrives a moment later, smiling down at them. 

“Hi there, what can I get for you all today?”

“Oh, we’re waiting -” Ana says with a look at Buck’s empty seat, but Eddie waves her off.

“Do you use the same grill for fish as meat?”

“Uh, no, sir they’re separate. We’re pretty careful about that kind of thing.”

“Great. In that case my friend will have the beef burger please, club sandwich for me and...what do you want, superman?”

“Nachos!” Chris practically shouts, waving his menu. 

The server smiles down at him, obviously charmed. “You know what buddy, the nachos are a pretty big serve. Maybe you should share them with your Mom.”

Silence. Ana and Eddie stare at each other across the table.

“Ah,” Eddie lets out a nervous laugh. “She’s not -”

“I’m not -”

“She’s not my Mom,” Christopher says finally, scowling. “I want nachos.”

“Do you have like a kids’ size? Or a half serve?” Eddie asks desperately, clearly trying to skate past the moment.

“I’m sure that can be arranged.” The server gives them a tight smile, takes Ana’s order and leaves them be. 

Then Buck is back, bouncy again, telling a fascinated Chris about why flamingos are pink.

  
  
  


She tries to put on a cheery front for the rest of the afternoon, but the awkward moment over lunch combined with her new concerns about Buck and Eddie’s relationship put Ana in a frustrated mood. It’s also much hotter now and she’s getting a little tired of the endless array of animals they stop to gaze at.

Buck’s boundless energy doesn’t flag, and Eddie seems happy to continue as long as the rest of them do, but Christopher begins to tire after lunch. Ana notices in the way his steps slow and he almost stumbles a few times. 

“Should we go?” she asks Eddie worriedly, watching Chris. “He seems really tired and if he trips..”

“I know,” Eddie says, a little heavily. “But I don’t like to set limitations for him. When he’s done, he’ll tell me.”

“But if he’s hurting...”

“He’s still having a great time. If he asks, me or Buck can carry him, but I won’t force him to leave.”

She lets the matter drop, even though she thinks it’s important for children like Christopher to know their limitations. Look what happened with the skateboarding accident at school, which had made Eddie furious! She doesn’t want a repeat of that, and she feels like it’s making her a little extra vigilant.

Christopher does ask to be picked up soon after that, with Eddie scooping him into his arms because “Buck’s leg won’t be any good from all the walking either,” apparently. They meander back towards the entrance, only pausing when Chris cries out at the sign for the lemurs. “We missed them!” he nearly wails.

“It’s alright,” Eddie soothes. “We’ll go now, just quickly though. You’re exhausted.”

“We didn’t do the polar bears either, and Buck  _ promised.” _

Ana knows this mood. This is every kid’s “I’m so tired I can’t control my emotions anymore” and it inevitably ends in tears. 

Buck’s face crumples in guilt. “Hey, you’re right, I promised and I’m sorry.” He steps closer to Chris and Eddie, nearly blocking Ana’s view with his big shoulders as he speaks. “I always forget how big this place is. How about we come back in a few weeks and we’ll go to the polar bears first. Nothing else, so we make sure we don’t miss it.”

Chris eyes Buck suspiciously. “Promise?”

“Hey, have I ever let you down?” he laughs softly. “I mean, aside from this one teensy-weensy time?”

Christopher shakes his head, solemn. Eddie, watching the exchange, presses a comforting kiss to his son’s hair.

“That’s right,” Buck says. “You, me, polar bears.  _ Promise.” _

Still looking on the verge of tears, Chris makes a wordless gesture toward Buck, leaning out of Eddie’s hold and toward him. In a move so graceful it must be practiced, Buck and Eddie manoeuvre him into Buck’s arms so Chris and Buck can hug tightly. 

Buck situates Chris on his hip. “But for now, lemurs. Just a quick one, yeah? I think I saw the handler heading in there, maybe we can see a feeding!”

Eddie makes a worried noise as Buck is about to turn up the path. “Your leg -”

“I’m fine,” Buck interrupts, the two of them exchanging a meaningful look Ana can’t interpret. “It won’t take long.” 

They disappear around a corner, leaving Ana and Eddie alone.

Tired, annoyed by the heat and a little mystified at what she just witnessed, Ana slumps onto a nearby bench. “How is one kid harder to keep up with than fifteen?” she marvels aloud.

“He keeps me on my toes, that’s for sure,” Eddie agrees.

They’re quiet while they wait; Ana unsure what to say and Eddie seemingly content to not talk at all. He busies himself on his phone while Ana daydreams about getting out of her sweat-damp clothes and into a cool shower.

Ten minutes later, Buck is ambling back toward them, Christopher still on his hip. He’s chatting amiably with a short man in a zoo handler’s uniform. Buck does seem to be limping slightly on one side, his face showing discomfort and pain for the first time all day. Eddie stands and he and Buck have  _ another _ wordless conversation, followed by another seamless handover of Chris from Buck’s hold to Eddie’s. 

“They also use scent glands in their necks to mark their territory…” the handler says, smiling and nodding in acknowledgement of Ana and Eddie.

“Like wolves?” Chris pipes up.

“Exactly.”

“Wow.”

“Hey, thanks for talking to us,” Buck says to the handler, reaching out to shake his hand. 

“Thank you!” Christopher echoes with a tired but genuine smile. “We’re gonna come back for the polar bears.”

“You’re very welcome,” the handler grins at Chris. “You and your Dads are welcome anytime.”

Ana waits for the awkward moment, the stammered correction, but Eddie and Buck just smile and thank him again before turning to leave.

Her shock must show on her face, because Eddie notices. “Oh…” he shrugs. “Happens all the time.”

  
  


5.

Christopher is sick.

He seems okay in the morning classes, a little quiet perhaps but not worryingly so. It’s when she’s watching the kids over lunch break that Ana becomes concerned. He’s very pale, but his cheeks are flushed and he coughs several times in a few minutes.

Ana approaches Chris, who is sitting quietly with a small group of friends. “Christopher?”

He’s a little slow getting over to her, making Ana wonder if his muscles are stiff too. She kneels down and places a hand on his forehead - it’s definitely warm.

“Are you feeling okay?”

A solemn shake of the head tells her more than any words. Chris is such a bright, talkative kid that his silence says everything.

“Alright, honey. I’m gonna take you to the nurse and call your dad.”

She ensures another teacher takes over her yard duty, then escorts Christopher to the nurse and calls Eddie. 

“Hey,” he answers, sounding a little wary - although they text, it’s unusual for them to speak during a work day. 

“Hi, I wish I was calling with good news…”

“Is Christopher okay?” Eddie asks immediately.

“He’s fine,” Ana assures. “But I do think he’s coming down with something and the nurse says he should go home. He has a cough and a low-grade fever.”

Eddie swears softly. “I  _ knew _ he was coming down with something, he was so quiet last night. We thought he was just tired…”

Who is  _ we _ , Ana wonders, before Eddie continues, “I’m on shift until six, I don’t know if I can leave.”

“Well -” Ana starts. On the other end of the line, bells start ringing shrilly in the distance and Eddie swears again. 

“I have to go,” he says loudly over the sound of the alarm. “I’ll figure it out, someone will come get him, sorry!”

The call drops.

Ana’s class doesn’t start for another twenty minutes, so she decides to sit with Christopher in the nurse’s office. The poor kid is miserable. He’s coughing regularly now, and his energy is so low that he nearly falls asleep where he’s lying on the hard little bed. Ana tries to talk to him a little, cheer him up with stories and jokes, but his only response is to ask for Eddie.

She hears a tap of knuckles on the door to the office about fifteen minutes after speaking to Eddie, then a voice saying, “Hi, I’m here for Christopher Diaz?”

That’s not Eddie.

Ana wouldn’t say she’s especially surprised to see Buck at the door, looking a little flustered with a worried expression on his face. He’s wearing rumpled sweats and flip-flops, like he just rolled out of bed and into his car. 

“Buck!” Chris’ voice is strained but happy, and he’s wearing the first smile Ana has seen on him all day.

“Hey!” Buck barely spares Ana a glance. He rushes into the room and kneels beside the bed, hand out to squeeze Christopher’s shoulder. “Have you been out riding skateboards without us again?”

Chris lets out a tiny giggle.“No.” He levers himself into a sitting position, legs hanging over the edge of the bed so he and Buck are eye level. “I don’t feel good, Buck.”

Buck presses a hand against his forehead, brow furrowing. “Yeah kiddo, I bet you don’t. And do you know what?” He leans closer to Chris like he’s telling him a secret. “I think you weren’t feeling so good last night either.”

“How did you know?”

“You always do one story with me and one with Dad, but you fell asleep halfway through my story! I was doing all my best voices and everything.” 

Christopher doesn’t laugh, but he does smile a little. “Sorry.”

“It’s alright, it just means we can finish it later. But I think you need some medicine and a nap first. What do you think, you wanna go home?”

Christopher nods emphatically. 

Buck straightens up and turns to Ana with a grateful look on his face. “Thanks for looking out for him. Eddie couldn’t leave his shift and I finished a few hours ago, so..”

“No problem.” They both watch Chris gather his crutches under himself. “His legs seemed quite stiff, you might want to carry him.”

“Oh.” Buck turns to Chris. “Hey superman, are you sore? You want me to carry you or you wanna get out to the car yourself?”

“I can do it.” Chris wobbles slightly on his feet as he stands, making Ana jerk forward in an aborted movement, ready to catch him. 

“I really think he needs -” she starts, but Buck cuts her off.

“He says he can do it.” It’s not angry, but it is the firmest she’s ever heard him speak. She backs off, feeling chastised and embarrassed. What’s so wrong about trying to help a disabled kid?

A tense moment follows the exchange, broken by Buck. “Do I need to sign him out?”

“Uh, yes. Over here.”

They don’t let just anyone take their students home, but Ana finds herself unsurprised, again, to see Buck listed among the people approved to take Christopher if Eddie is unavailable. Buck signs with a flourish, his other hand on Chris’ shoulder. 

“Thank you.” he says again before they leave.

“Bye, Ms Flores.” Chris’ small voice rings out.

She watches them make their way down the hallway, slowed down by Christopher’s sore legs. Why Buck doesn’t just pick him up, she doesn’t know.

  
  
  


Eddie is quiet for a few days. Ana isn’t particularly worried; she assumes he’s busy looking after Christopher. By the third day of near-silence, she decides to check in with him.

_ “Well, I caught Chrisopher’s flu so haven’t been doing so great,”  _ Eddie’s text reads.  _ “He’s fine but I can’t say I’m feeling my best.” _

“ _ Awww,” _ she writes. “ _ Somebody need a nurse?” _

_ “I don’t think I’d be very good company…” _

_ “I don’t mind. Do you want me to come over?” _

_ “Up to you.” _

Ana sighs at the non-committal response. It’s something of a specialty of Eddie’s, she’s learned.

Things between them have been...nice, but nothing special. Eddie’s such a great guy and Ana likes him, definitely cares about him, but after their first few dates she feels like things have started to fizzle a little. They’ve never done more than kiss at the door and Eddie doesn’t seem in a rush to rectify that. She also feels like Eddie can be distant, like he’s only ever half focused on her. She’s beginning to suspect Eddie’s not as ready to date as he thought.

Then there’s Buck.

It’s weird, right, that Buck has such a central place in Eddie and Christopher’s lives? It’s weird that he’s always at their place, that he’s always texting and calling Eddie? He doesn’t have a girlfriend, according to Eddie, and hasn’t for a while. It’s nice and all that he and Eddie are close, but shouldn’t the guy have his own family? Ana’s getting a little sick of hearing his name every time Eddie or Chris open their mouths. 

Still. Ana doesn’t give up easily, and she’s not ready to give up on Eddie - clingy best friend or not.

After work, she heads to her favourite deli and buys some soup - pumpkin is a crowd-pleaser, right? - then drives to Eddie’s house. He answers the door after a long pause, and gives her a tired smile. 

“You look terrible,” Ana blurts, following him inside. He does. He has dark bags under his eyes and he’s walking slowly, like it’s taking most of his strength to stay upright. He’s barefoot in grey sweats and a navy hoodie which looks too big on him, the letters “PENN” spelled out in bright red across the chest.

“Somehow it’s always so much worse when I get it from Chris,” Eddie replies in a thick, congested voice. He coughs into his elbow and gestures her into the kitchen.

“Well, hopefully you’ll feel better once you have some...soup.” Ana says, voice trailing off when they enter the kitchen.

Because there’s already a giant pot of soup on the stove, bubbling away happily and smelling just like the one her mother used to make. A CVS bag sits open on the counter, along with a carton of orange juice.

She looks down at the styrofoam container in her hand. It feels inadequate, compared to whatever is already going on here. 

“Oh,” Eddie follows her gaze to the stove. “That’s just...Buck came over. It’s the one my Abuela made me when I was a kid, and she showed it to him last time Chris was sick, so…”

So he spent hours preparing it for Eddie, shopped for his medications and groceries, and probably looked after Chris for him too. 

Again, Ana feels shown up by this guy. It’s  _ frustrating. _ She has a job, she doesn’t have time to be making soup. (Soup, she thinks bitterly, taught to Buck by the Abuela she has yet to meet.)

“But hey!” Eddie adds, reaching out for the container Ana is still clutching. “I’m sure this will be great too. Thank you.”

He’s sincere about it, and Ana’s sure that he’s not comparing her to Buck...but she’s comparing  _ herself _ to Buck. Buck, who answers Eddie’s door and cooks for his kid. Buck, who Christopher calls “mine”. Buck, constantly popping up in Eddie’s stories, anecdotes, jokes. Buck, so damn ingrained into their lives that Eddie never gives it a second thought.

Buck, who lights up when Eddie talks to him and lets his touch linger whenever they get close. Buck, who Eddie worries about and fusses over. Buck and Eddie, who can speak without words.

“Is he in love with you?”

She doesn’t mean to say it, and yet. There they are, the words that have been floating in her mind for days now.

If she’d taken out a knife and stabbed Eddie in the stomach, he’d be less shocked. He loses his grip where he’s leaning against the counter, stumbling before finding his feet.

“I’m sorry,  _ what?” _

“Buck. Is he in love with you?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Eddie sputters. He folds his arms defensively. “Buck’s straight, for one thing.”

She raises an eyebrow, sceptical. “Is he? Eddie, he practically lives here. He’s always watching you. He’s a young attractive guy and he doesn’t have a girlfriend because, as far as I can tell, he’s always with you! He cooks for you, he looks after you when you’re sick, he hangs out with your kid…”

“Because he’s my best friend!” Agitated, Eddie runs a hand through his hair. “Jesus, Ana. I don’t know what you want me to say here.”

“I just…” What  _ does _ she want him to say? It’s not like she came here with a plan to ambush the poor man about his best friend’s feelings. “I just feel like he’s always  _ there _ , you know? Babysitting Christopher. Calling you. Hanging out around the house. Doesn’t he have a family of his own? Don’t you think it’s a bit much?”

“No, I don’t, actually.” Eddie retorts. He seems to have blown right past his initial shock and confusion and into a passionate defence of Buck. “Buck’s been there for me and Chris more than  _ anybody  _ in my life, including my own family. He’s the one who found Carla. He’s the one who loves Christopher just as much as I do. He saved his damn life in the tsunami and nearly got himself killed in the process!”

Abashed, Ana takes a step back. “I didn’t know..”

“No, you didn’t. You don’t know anything about him.” Eddie’s breathing hard, clearly having exerted any energy his sick body had left. Ana’s stomach twists guiltily. She hadn’t meant for this.

“I’m sorry.” She places a hand on his forearm and squeezes, meeting his eyes. “I’m sorry, Eddie. You’re right, okay? It’s not my place to question your friendships.”

“I just...Buck’s one of the best people I know, Ana. And you have no idea what he’s been through. His parents…” he shakes his head, seemingly suppressing anger. “He’s my family. Mine  _ and _ Chris’. If you can’t handle that…”

“I can.” Ana says immediately. She squeezes his arm again. “But Eddie...do you want me to?”

“What do you mean?”

“Do you  _ want _ to work through this, to move on? With me. Because frankly I don’t feel like this is going anywhere. And you can deny it, but I really think it’s because of Buck. Eddie, I don’t think you understand...the way you guys are? It’s not normal. You know all his allergies, you order food for him, you finish each others’ sentences, you’re  _ always _ touching, you don’t go more than half a day without talking...not to mention that Buck is  _ parenting _ Christopher with you!”

“I…” Eddie hesitates, wide-eyed. “We’re friends,” he says weakly.

Ana crosses her arms. “Are you or are you not wearing his hoodie right now?”

Eddie looks down at the PENN spelled out across his chest. “I -”

“It’s okay,” Ana laughs a little at herself. “I just wish I’d noticed it before.”

Eddie looks utterly flabbergasted, and honestly it’s a bit of a relief to know that he really didn’t know.

“You’re right,” he says finally. “Oh my god, you’re right.”

She knew it was coming, but it still hurts. Eddie turns those beautiful brown eyes on her, and he looks genuinely regretful. “I’m sorry, Ana.”

“It’s not your fault,” she replies, a little robotically. “These things just don’t work out sometimes. But Eddie, you should talk to Buck. Whatever you’re feeling...I’m one hundred percent sure it’s reciprocated.”

Eddie stares at her, still looking a little like she’d knocked him on the head with a sledgehammer, but he nods.

He walks her out. When he turns to close the door, Ana can read the “BUCKLEY” emblazoned across the back of his sweatshirt.

  
  
  
  


+1

The next Parent-Teacher event isn’t a barbecue, it’s a bake sale.

Eddie does not arrive alone.

So something definitely happened in the weeks following their breakup, Ana muses as she watches Buck and Eddie wander, hand in hand, from stall to stall. They both look a little shy about it but very happy, exchanging coy little smiles and quiet conversation.

Ana’s not too petty to say that it’s cute as hell.

She catches up to them as they’re perusing a tray of cupcakes made by Mrs Glendeman, Louise’s mother.

“Taking something home for Christopher?”

They both look up and smile when they see her. Buck disentangles their hands only to slide an arm around Eddie’s waist - possessive, even though his face is pleasant as they chat. Ana stifles a laugh at the move.

“Did you bring anything?” Ana inquires, remembering the tales of Eddie’s awful cooking.

“I made cookies,” Buck says proudly, chest puffing. “Browned-butter choc chip with nutella centres.”

“ _ Wow,” _ Ana replies, genuinely impressed. “That’s...elaborate.”

“They’re the most complex cookie recipe I’ve ever seen,” Eddie says with an exasperated but extremely fond look on his face. “Took him hours. I told him there was no need but...that’s just Buck. Always goes the extra mile.”

Buck is blushing and ducking his head from the praise, turning bright red when Eddie leans in to press a firm, loving kiss to his cheek.

“Yep,” Ana agrees, thinking to herself that with this display of sweetness there’ll be no need for cupcakes. “That’s just Buck.”

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> I have made those cookies before and I can confirm that they are AMAZING but they take forever.
> 
> I'm on tumblr @ ashavahishta !  
> Comments and kudos make me smile :)


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